My parents and my in-laws have all faced, or currently face, unemployment in their later years. They confirm what I see through the work I do – that there are complex challenges specific to seeking work as an older person compared to being unemployed when you are younger.

With the spotlight shining on youth unemployment, it is important we do not neglect other groups who also need tailored support to secure sustained work. The latest unemployment figures showed the over 50s accounted for a substantial chunk of the 118,000 newly jobless people in the three months to November.

With the national unemployment rate around 8pc, nearly one in ten people are out of work. But for the over 50s, this figure is nearly one in three. Relatively, people over 50 are moving into employment at the same rate as other age groups, but in smaller relative percentages to… Read more